Jelena Ostapenko: The Volatile, Yet Compelling, Former French Open Champion
Jelena Ostapenko is a player who embodies contradiction. She is a former French Open champion with a poor overall record at Roland Garros. Off the court, she is friendly and giggly, but on the court, she can be volatile. Despite struggling for consistency, she has managed to defeat the world No 1, Iga Swiatek, in all four of their meetings.
Ostapenko’s return to the world’s top 10, seven years after her unlikely French Open win, is a testament to her compelling nature. Whether her game is brilliant or awful, she remains a captivating player. In an interview with The Athletic, Ostapenko acknowledges her entertaining style of play, saying, “Players like me and Daniil Medvedev, it’s fun to watch us… It’s more entertaining to watch the players who are showing some emotions.”
Her emotions are evident on the court, as she is highly demonstrative during matches. She has even told her own mother to leave the arena during a final at the French Open. Ostapenko’s opponents often feel her wrath as well, with frosty handshakes becoming a staple of her post-match interactions. She has also been critical of electronic line-calling, expressing a lack of trust in its accuracy.
However, off the court, Ostapenko leads a cheerful life filled with interests such as dancing, golf, and fashion. She acknowledges the contrast between her on-court and off-court personas, stating that she wants to play more aggressively in decisive moments.
Ostapenko’s rise to fame in 2017 was unexpected. As an unseeded player ranked 47th in the world, she became the first unseeded French Open champion in nearly a century. Her fearless style of play was evident in her final victory over Simona Halep, where she hit an impressive 54 winners but also committed 54 unforced errors.
While Ostapenko’s sudden success was an incredible achievement, it took a toll on her. She was unprepared for the level of attention and pressure that came with winning a major title at such a young age. Despite the challenges, she continued to produce good results, reaching the quarter-finals of Wimbledon and becoming a finalist in Miami.
However, Ostapenko’s career has been marked by inconsistency and erratic performances. To regain her fearless mindset, she seeks to channel the carefree approach she had when bursting onto the scene. This year, she has had success with this approach, reaching the top 10 rankings and making it to the quarter-finals of the Italian Open.
Ostapenko’s volatile nature has led to several controversies on the court. She has had heated exchanges with opponents, such as Ajla Tomljanovic and Daria Kasatkina, and has been criticized for her nonchalant handshakes. There are suggestions that her behavior is influenced by geopolitical factors, as she has Ukrainian roots and Belarus, the home country of some of her opponents, is a supporter of Russia.
Despite the controversies, Ostapenko believes that her emotional style of play adds entertainment value to tennis. She admires players like Serena Williams, who show their personalities on the court. Ostapenko also advocates for the use of line judges alongside video technology, as she believes that live electronic line-calling is not always accurate.
Off the court, Ostapenko enjoys pursuing her diverse interests, such as ballroom dancing, golfing, and fashion design. She is one of the few top players who regularly competes in doubles, showcasing her sociable side. However, when it comes to singles matches, Ostapenko is all business.
As she prepares for this year’s French Open, Ostapenko aims to stay calm and use her emotions to her advantage. She has the potential to face Iga Swiatek, the current world No 1, in the semi-finals. Ostapenko has a secret strategy for beating Swiatek but remains tight-lipped about it.
In conclusion, Jelena Ostapenko’s career is characterized by her volatile nature and compelling style of play. While she has faced criticism for her behavior on the court, she believes that showing emotions adds entertainment value to the sport. Off the court, she leads a cheerful life filled with diverse interests. As she continues to work on her consistency, Ostapenko remains a player to watch at this year’s French Open.